SOUTHERN CONFERENCE NAMES SITES FOR MEN'S AND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS Greenville selected in 2000, 2001, Charleston tabbed for 2002, 2003

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- The Southern Conference announced today the sites for its men's and women's basketball tournaments for the years 2000-2003. Greenville, S.C., will host the events in 2000 and 2001, while Charleston, S.C., will be the site in 2002 and 2003.

Larry Travis, Southern Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Committee chair and Western Carolina University Athletics Director, made the announcement for the Southern Conference on a Friday teleconference. "We were fortunate to have six great cities present proposals to host the Southern Conference Basketball Tournaments. One of our objectives was to bring the tournament to a community that has strong Southern Conference affiliation. With Greenville and Charleston we have done just that. We look forward to our tournament growing into a premiere evert as we enter the 21st century."

In Greenville, the entire men's tournament and the women's semifinals and final will be held at the BI-LO Center on March 2-5, 2000 and March 1-4, 2001. First-round and quarterfinal women's basketball games those years will be played at Furman's Timmons Arena.

In Charleston, the North Charleston Coliseum will serve as the venue for the entire men's tournament and the women's semifinals and final on February 28-March 3, 2002 and February 27-March 2, 2003. The Citadel's McAlister Field House will host the women's first-round and quarterfinal action.

Rowena Buffett, Vice-President of Sales for the Greenville Convention and Visitors' Bureau, represented Greenville on the teleconference. "It is an honor for Greenville to host such a prestigious sporting event in our city. The overwhelming support from the leaders of the business and hospitality communities, in cooperation with the Southern Conference, has made this event possible. We look forward to the success of these partnerships and are geared up for both March 2000 and 2001."

Dave Holscher, Executive Director of the North Charleston Coliseum and Chair of the Charleston Metro Sports Council, spoke on Charleston's perspective. "We are proud of the selection and look forward to hosting the tournament in 2002 and 2003. This is a fantastic beginning to a successful partnership with the Charleston Area and the Southern Conference through the Sports Council and the North Charleston Coliseum.

1999 Southern Conference Tournament Weekend will be held February 25-28 in Greensboro, N.C. As in the past, the entire men's basketball tournament will be held in the Greensboro Coliseum as well as the women's basketball semifinal and championship games. The women's basketball first-round and quarterfinal games will be held at UNC Greensboro on February 25-26. The wrestling championship will be held at UNC Greensboro's Fleming Gym on February 27.

The Southern Conference is an NCAA Division I Conference that consists of 12 members in five states and sponsors 19 varsity sports and championships that produce participants for NCAA postseason competition. Appalachian State University, College of Charleston, The Citadel, Davidson College, East Tennessee State University, Furman University, Georgia Southern University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Virginia Military Institute, Western Carolina University and Wofford College are members of the Conference whose headquarters are located in Asheville, N.C.